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ISRO Launches 8 Satellites From One Rocket, Creating History

Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) achieved another feat on Monday by launching multiple satellites from one rocket into two different orbits. The polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV-C35), carrying eight satellites, was lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota at 9.12 am.

Among the satellites, The INSAT- 3DR is a follow up of the earlier INSAT- 3D, which was launched into space from the French Guiana. The second satellite ScatSat is a weather forecasting satellite. Apart from that, it will predict upcoming cyclones and check sea surface winds and aid in other kinds of tracking services for the users. The 377 kg SCATSAT-1 will be launched by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) that is expected to replace Oceansat-2 scatterometer. The SCATSAT-1 will be positioned into a 720 km polar sun synchronous orbit. The total mission life of the satellite is 5 years. Among the five foreign satellites, three are from US, Canada and Algeria and two from India. All of them will be placed into a 670 km polar orbit. The PSLV rocket is fuelled by solid and liquid fuel. It is a four stage engine rocket.

ISRO scientists say that they got this idea while they were on a flight in June. They believed that if they can materialize this plan, it will revolutionize the way flights are launched, keeping in mind the needs of the customers. P. Kunhikrishnan, Director of the Satish Dhawan Space Research Centre, who is also in-charge of the launching of the satellites said, “The campaign is in full swing for the launch of the PSLV-C35 on September 26. We have planned to release its different payloads [or spacecraft] at two different orbits this time. This will be a first multiple orbit launch in a single PSLV mission using the PS4 restart method.”